Device and Method for Determining a Surface State of a Roadway Traveled or to be Traveled by a Vehicle

Abstract

A device for determining a surface state of a roadway traveled or to be traveled by a vehicle, wherein the device comprises at least one light source for emitting primary light in the direction of the roadway traveled or to be traveled; at least one detector device for detecting secondary light that has been reflected and/or scattered by the roadway traveled or to be traveled; and an evaluation unit configured to emit, on the basis of the secondary light detected, the surface state of the roadway traveled or to be traveled by the vehicle. The essence of the invention is that the device furthermore comprises at least one first semiconductor chip, wherein at least two diodes are arranged on the at least one first semiconductor chip.

1 . A device for determining a surface state of a roadway, which is one of traveled and to be traveled by a vehicle, the device comprising:
 at least one light source configured to emit primary light in a direction of the roadway;   at least one detector configured to detect secondary light that has been one of reflected and scattered from the roadway;   an evaluation device configured to determine, based on the detected secondary light, the surface state of the roadway; and   at least one first semiconductor chip having at least two diodes arranged thereon.   
     
     
         2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two diodes arranged on the at least one first semiconductor chip include (i) at least one emitting diode of the at least one light source and (ii) at least one photodiode of the at least one detector. 
     
     
         3 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a number of emitting diodes of the at least one light source is greater than a number of photodiodes of the at least one detector. 
     
     
         4 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a number of photodiodes of the at least one detector is greater than a number of emitting diodes of the at least one light source. 
     
     
         5 . The device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one second semiconductor chip having at least one diode arranged thereon. 
 
     
     
         6 . The device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the at least two diodes arranged on the at least one first semiconductor chip include at least two emitting diodes of the at least one light source and the at least one diode arranged on the at least one second semiconductor chip include at least one photodiode of the at least one detector. 
     
     
         7 . The device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the at least two diodes arranged on the at least one first semiconductor chip include as at least two photodiodes of the at least one detector and the at least one diode arranged on the at least one second semiconductor chip include at least one emitting diode of the at least one light source. 
     
     
         8 . The device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one first temperature stabilization element arranged on the at least one first semiconductor chip. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method for determining a surface state of a roadway, which is one of traveled and to be traveled by a vehicle, the method comprising:
 emitting, using at least one light source of a device, primary light in a direction of the roadway;   detecting, using at least one detector of the device, secondary light that has been one of reflected and scattered from the roadway; and   determining, using an evaluation device of the device, the surface state of the roadway based on the detected secondary light,   wherein the device has at least one first semiconductor chip having at least two diodes arranged thereon.